The Hayleys Plantations Sector set a new benchmark for human resource development with the successful awarding of Sri Lanka’s first-ever National Skills Passport (NSP) and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) to field officers. 

Enhancing their competencies around sustainable plantations business operations, 70 field officers from Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL), Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTEL) and Horana Plantations PLC (HPL) successfully completed the programme.

At the convocation ceremony, Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai stated, “Our mission at Hayleys Plantations is to enable a new approach to plantations management, merging experience-based knowledge with advanced technical knowledge. 

“With the introduction of the NVQ and Skills Passport, we are helping our team elevate their capabilities and expertise, in order to build a vibrant, digitally empowered workforce. I congratulate each member of the team on completing these programmes and look forward to seeing them develop as leading plantations field officers in the country, continuing their professional development and making a difference on-ground.” 

The programmes are a four-partite initiative between the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC), International Labour Organisation (ILO) - Colombo Office, National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC). The technical support provided from the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) was launched under the guidance of the Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Ministry.   

Field staff members at Hayleys Plantations with over a year’s experience and commendable performance records were selected and evaluated by the NAITA on theoretical and practical aspects. On completing the programme, the first batch of field officers were awarded NVQ certificates and a Digital Skills Passport smart card with a QR code, facilitating convenient online access to their skills portfolio. 

“Given the success of the first phase, we are confident that the NVQ Skills Passport will help empower our team to innovate new solutions to resolve long-standing challenges in our industry. Moving forward, we are committed to continuously upholding and enhancing our practices, which have already won national and international acclaim – a commitment that has ensured we are ranked among the top three RPCs in the country,” Kelani Valley Plantations Head/General Manager HR and Corporate Sustainability Anuruddha Gamage stated.  

A dedicated NSP online portal provides NSP holders with a gateway to find suitable jobs and access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities, locally and internationally. It is connected to employees, employers, qualification bodies and labour market intermediaries.

The NSP is directly linked to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) platform, which helps recognise informally acquired knowledge, skills and competencies through formal assessments and certifications. This can be used to help employees create a comprehensive virtual portfolio of skills and qualifications with their references and experience, in alignment with multiple skill assessment frameworks. By enabling access to this e-document, NSP can be a career guide for workers to open future growth opportunities.